A baby has died from measles in Wisconsin, marking the first death linked to the disease in the US state since 1990, health authorities have announced.
The death is the second reported infant fatality from measles in the United States within a few days.
In a statement, Wisconsin Health Secretary Kirsten Johnson said the state was mourning the first infant death linked to its measles outbreak in many years. She did not disclose the child’s age.
“The death of a child is always a tragedy, and even more so when it is linked to a disease that can be prevented through vaccination,” Johnson said.
With measles cases reaching their highest levels in decades, health authorities are urging the public to get vaccinated.
As of 3 November, Wisconsin had recorded 431 measles cases in 2026, according to the state’s Department of Health Services.
Measles returns after being eliminated in the US
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, following widespread vaccination.
However, the disease has returned in recent years amid declining vaccination coverage and growing public distrust of health authorities.
The article also points to US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promoted vaccine misinformation and challenged established public health guidance.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4,852 measles cases had been recorded nationwide between the beginning of 2026 and 29 October.
A highly contagious disease with serious complications
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that causes fever, respiratory symptoms and a characteristic rash.
In some cases, it can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, which can cause lasting damage or death.
Before the development of the measles vaccine in the early 1960s, the disease killed hundreds of children every year in the United States.
It continues to cause tens of thousands of deaths worldwide.
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